Clinical validation of the nursing diagnostic proposition perioperative thirst.
Leonel Alves do Nascimento, Marilia Ferrari Conchon, Aline Korki Arrabal Garcia and 2 others
PMID 37556617WHAT IT FOUND
Perioperative thirst was present in 62.6% of patients before surgery and 50.2% immediately after.
Dry throat and constant swallowing of saliva were the most accurate signs before surgery, while bad taste in the mouth was most accurate after. Dry mouth was not a valid sign.
Key findings
01The prevalence of perioperative thirst was 62.6% in the preoperative period and 50.2% in the immediate postoperative period.
02In the immediate postoperative period, the sign 'bad taste in the mouth' showed the best overall accuracy for identifying thirst, while 'dry throat' and 'constant swallowing of saliva' showed high sensitivity.
03The sign 'dry mouth' was removed from the diagnostic model because it did not have adequate accuracy values, despite being frequent.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in a single public teaching hospital in southern Brazil, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other settings. The sample size was 150 patients, which may affect the precision of the accuracy estimates. Patients transferred to the ICU on mechanical ventilation were excluded, so the findings do not apply to critically ill or unconscious patients.
Declared interests
No specific conflicts of interest or funding sources were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that 'dry mouth' is a reliable standalone indicator for diagnosing perioperative thirst. Although it was the most frequently observed sign, it was removed from the final diagnostic models due to poor accuracy and its role as an etiological factor. Relying on it alone may lead to misdiagnosis or missed opportunities for targeted intervention.